Jetpack: the new WordPress.com Stats Plugin

If you’re running the WordPress.com Stats Plugin on several sites (like me) then you may have noticed that it stopped working recently. This is a known issue and it’s being resolved soon.

If you can’t live without your stats in the meantime then read on. Help is at hand in the form of a brand new plugin by the wonderful folks at WordPress: it’s called Jetpack and spices up your self hosted WordPress site with a number of additions – including a new version of WordPress Stats.

Upon installation it will automatically remove the old stats plugin and give you a new tab underneath Dashboard which now includes a link to your full stats. Jetpack however does a whole lot more:

contains a new Twitter Widget to show your latest tweets easily and without the need for other plugins

WP.me shortlinks integration (although I believe that feature worked beforehand)

ShareDaddy integration – plasters your latest posts all over the social networks – without manual tweet/facbeook/etc feeding (and the complications that arise with 3rd party systems like Deliver.it ot Ping.fm)

Shortcode Embeds makes it easy to integrate rich media – it’s much like the “auto media embed” option under Settings – Media but slightly more advanced.

Most features can be configured in this funky backend interface:

No more API key needed

I always forgot where to look for my API key and I always confused my clients when I told them they needed to register with WordPress.com, get that key and then pop it into Akismet and the Stats plugin.

Jetpack makes the integration much easier: upon activation, you’re bring asked to sign in to (or sign up for) your Wordpres.com account. Jetpack then authorises you on WordPress.com and you’re good to go. I’m loving that!

Conclusion

Even though WordPress have no intention of discontinuing the standalone stats plugin, Jetpack brings a whole new suite of features to WordPress that you may want to check out. Less plugins is always a good thing.

I’ve noticed some empty boxes at the bottom hence it’s suffice to say there will be more additions to Jetpack in the future – I think Akismet may be next on the list of plugins to migrate. All current features have the word “free” written next to them, which makes me think that perhaps WordPress are looking into the addition of premium features (like VaultPress) that could have a price tag attached to them.

In the meantime, let’s enjoy our stats the way we used to have them and dabble in a new gadget. 35.000 downloads in under two weeks means this is what WordPressers have been looking for! Alternatively you need to be zen and let the issues be fixed.

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About Jay Versluis

Jay is a medical miracle known as a Super Survivor. He runs two YouTube channels, five websites and several podcast feeds. To see what else he's up to, and to support him on his mission to make the world a better place, check out his Patreon Campaign.